Which linoleum is better for an apartment - types and characteristics of flooring. Which linoleum to choose for an apartment in terms of quality - a cheat sheet for the buyer What is the best thickness of linoleum to buy in a nursery

Reading 6 min. Published on 09.10.2018

Linoleum refers to budget floor coverings with a long service life. Moreover, today you can choose almost any color. All this makes linoleum really popular.

In order for such a coating to last as long as possible and please the eye, it is necessary to take its acquisition responsibly.

Varieties

Today, several varieties of linoleum are on sale. They have advantages and disadvantages, as well as certain features of use. This must be taken into account when buying.

natural linoleum

For its manufacture, linseed oil, a mixture of cork and wood flour, special limestone powder, pine resin and dyes of natural origin are used.

The basis is jute fabric. Since this type of linoleum is environmentally friendly, it can be used in apartments where asthmatics, allergy sufferers and children live.

Advantages:

abrasion resistance;
environmental friendliness;
preservation of color and structure for a long time;
bactericidal properties;
incombustibility;
simple care;
rich selection of colors.

Flaws:

brittleness, due to which cracks can form during bending;
not recommended for use in rooms with a high level of humidity;
high price.

PVC linoleum

The basis of such a floor covering is a woven or non-woven base with thermal insulation properties. It should be noted that today even domestic products are created taking into account the latest European technologies.

Advantages:

the presence of dielectric properties;
low thermal conductivity;
environmental friendliness;
resistance to decay;
a large selection of shades and patterns;
ease of installation.

Flaws:

sensitivity to elevated temperatures;
instability to alkalis and various chemical solvents;
decrease in elasticity with a drop in temperature.

Synthetic linoleum

There are three types of such flooring:

Commercial - designed for office space. It is quite durable and wear resistant. The service life is approximately 20 years.

Semi-commercial - can be used in apartments and offices. Service life fluctuates within 7-20 years.

Household - quite thin and cheap. Used in residential areas. The service life is a maximum of 5 years.

Glyptal linoleum

Created by applying alkyd resin to a special fabric base.

The advantage is considered to be excellent heat and sound insulation properties, the disadvantage is the fragility and complexity of installation.

Colloxylin linoleum

The basis of such flooring is nitrocellulose.

The advantages of this type are elasticity, incombustibility and moisture resistance. The disadvantages include a tendency to shrink and sensitivity to temperature changes.

Linoleum relin

Such linoleum consists of two layers: crushed rubber with bitumen and a mixture of pigment, rubber and a special filler.

The advantage of relin linoleum is considered to be increased moisture resistance and elasticity. The disadvantages include the presence of harmful volatile substances in the coating, which is why such material is not recommended for flooring in residential premises.

Marking and thickness

To find out how to choose linoleum for an apartment, you need to understand the markings. The first digit has the following meanings:

1 - rooms with low traffic;
2 - apartments;
3 - offices;
4 - various production facilities.

The second digit in the marking is the expected load. A one is considered the lowest, and a four is considered the highest. Accordingly, class 23 or 24 is suitable for the hallway, and 21 for the bedroom.

It is also necessary to pay attention to the protective layer, namely its thickness. This indicator should be at least 0.25 mm.

If the linoleum will be laid on a perfectly flat surface, then you can take a thin material. Otherwise, more thickness will be required.

Linoleum for an apartment

For residential premises, most often they buy natural or synthetic material. To choose the most suitable option, it is worth considering in which room it will be used.

Hallway

This room has a high level of traffic. Therefore, it is better to choose a coating with a minimum thickness of 3 mm. The protective layer of the material must be at least 0.25 mm.

If you choose the maximum thickness, then the attractive appearance of linoleum will remain unchanged for a very long time.

For the hallway, a semi-commercial variety is usually chosen. Experts recommend taking only PVC coating for the hallway. It is characterized by increased strength and resistance to decay.

Kitchen

Some apartment owners prefer not to puzzle over the question of how to choose linoleum for the kitchen.

They immediately buy a semi-commercial coating, which is designed for medium and high traffic areas. Also suitable for this purpose is household linoleum, the basis of which is foamed polyvinyl chloride.

For the kitchen, natural flooring is often chosen. Its main advantage is a long service life, as well as the preservation of the main characteristics and original appearance. This coating can be washed with various detergents. All kitchen dirt is removed very easily.

Living room

The traffic in this room is average. Accordingly, linoleum with a thickness of 1.5-2 mm is suitable. The thickness of the special protective layer must be at least 0.15 mm.

As a rule, in the living room there is a high probability of various mechanical damages, so it is advisable to use an inexpensive material based on polyester.

White linoleum for the living room is considered not the best option. This color can be safely used only in the absence of pets and small children.

Children's

If children live in the apartment, the choice of linoleum should be taken very responsibly.

Since babies often crawl on the floor, natural material should be purchased. At the same time, the thickness of the coating should be at least 3 mm, because in the children's room the probability of various damage to linoleum is very high.

The protective layer must have a foam base and a thickness of at least 0.25 mm.

Bedroom

Those who do not know how to choose linoleum for the bedroom often mistakenly buy thick material.

In fact, a coating with a thickness of about 1.5 mm will be quite enough, because there is a low level of patency. The basis of the covering for the bedroom can be polyester or foam. The thickness of the protective layer should be 0.15-0.2 mm.

If the budget allows, you should pay attention to natural material. Firstly, it is more durable, and secondly, it has antimicrobial properties.

Many consumers are interested in how to choose high quality linoleum. This is easy to do if you take into account certain nuances.

First you need to decide for which room you need the material. Based on this, a list of required characteristics is created. In order for linoleum to fit into the interior, you need to carefully approach the choice of shade and pattern.

Before buying, be sure to smell the coating. A strong smell indicates the presence of harmful substances in the composition. Quality material does not smell at all. In addition, it does not have a greasy sheen, and the drawing itself looks very distinct.

The width of the canvas should correspond to the size of the room. Despite this, the material should be taken with a margin, because sometimes you have to adjust the pattern or cut the panel at the joints. It is also worth considering all thresholds, ledges and niches for batteries.

The coating must comply with safety standards. The material that has passed the examination has a certain marking. In addition, the seller must provide the appropriate certificate.

It is necessary to check the quality of the panels only in rolled form. This will help to determine the presence of bumps, waves or peeling of the film. If these defects were found, such a coating is considered defective. It's not worth buying.

When choosing linoleum, you need to think in advance whether it will be possible to bring the entire roll into the room. It is also worth deciding on the method of transportation.

In order for linoleum to retain its original appearance longer, you should purchase a coating with a protective layer.

The sheets cannot be folded in half. It is also forbidden to stick adhesive tape on the top layer, because it will leave a mark on the surface. If at the time of purchase the roll was rolled upside down, then it must be additionally wrapped with a protective film.

Linoleum is the most popular floor covering among the population with an average standard of living. Firstly, the price is not as high as that of parquet or carpet, and secondly, the service life is normal. And today's manufacturers offer a wide variety of colors, choose any! But it turns out that although this material is well known to consumers, there are many nuances that must be considered when buying. Therefore, this article is devoted to the question of which linoleum to choose, because the house has different rooms with their own operational features.

What to look for before buying?

To understand in detail how to choose linoleum for your home, you should know the main criteria for a rational purchase:

compliance with the purpose - a nursery is a room, or a bedroom, a kitchen;
characteristics - the degree of wear resistance, noise absorption, antistatic, moisture resistance, antibacterial properties;
whether linoleum can withstand the load, given the number of people living and the rate of patency;
whether harmony is created in the interior - linoleum can be monophonic, with abstract patterns, with imitation of different textures: wood, tile, stone.

If all of the above criteria are taken into account, the buyer will not get lost in the modern variety, because he will know exactly how to choose linoleum for an apartment, as well as for a private house.

What is linoleum anyway?

Perhaps, linoleum can be called the most democratic flooring. The arguments to confirm these words are significant, because the material fits in schools, offices, and, of course, in a house / apartment. Therefore, it is understandable why the market offers a variety of types of linoleum: how to choose the best one? The question is simple, you just need to understand the problem and then everything will become clear.

- made from wood flour, pine resin, limestone powder, natural dyes, and the basis is jute fabric. Due to the fact that this material is made from purely natural ingredients, it is perfect for a children's room, rooms where asthmatics and allergy sufferers live. Therefore, if the question is being decided which linoleum to choose for an apartment, this is an excellent option - the material is environmentally friendly, not harmful to health, and also resistant to abrasion, does not shed in the sun, and has bactericidal properties.

PVC linoleum is made either on a fabric basis or on a non-woven heat-insulating one. Domestic manufacturers use European technologies, so everyone can afford such linoleum, because the price of products is affordable.

Advantages:

low thermal conductivity;
a wide palette of patterns, shades;
pronounced dielectric characteristics;
ease of installation.

There are certain disadvantages, we are talking about sensitivity to high temperature, instability to chemicals. So, if the temperature in the room drops sharply, then elasticity is lost and PVC linoleum may crack.

In addition, the flooring in question can be alkyd, colloxin, and linoleum-relin is also common.

Classification and marking of coatings

To accurately answer the question of how to choose the right linoleum, you need to understand the markings corresponding to the purpose of the room. As for the first digit of this very marking, it varies from one to four:

1 - for rooms with minimal traffic;
2 - residential rooms;
3 - offices;
4 - industrial premises.

And the second digit indicates the expected load, which means that the unit, respectively, is the lowest, the four is the highest load. For example, class 21 coverage is great for an office and bedroom, it is advisable to buy class 23-24 linoleum for a kitchen and hallway.

To cover the topic in more detail, you need to give a few more examples. Let's take the hallway for example. Of course, the entrance hall, the corridor are rooms with a very high degree of patency. This means that the best option is linoleum with a thickness of at least 3 mm.

Important: it is desirable to pay increased attention to the thickness of the protective layer, it should be at least 0.25 mm.

Also, before buying, you need to evaluate the quality of the surface on which this flooring will be laid in the future. The smoother the surface, the thinner the linoleum can be and vice versa. The ideal solution for the hallway is household linoleum with a foam base. Or it can be expensive semi-commercial linoleum, which is characterized by increased strength.

How to choose a good linoleum? This multifaceted issue worries many consumers. So that the purchase in the future does not become a cause for disappointment associated with low quality, you should follow these guidelines:

trust your own sense of smell: the presence of a pungent odor clearly indicates that the coating contains harmful additives. High-quality linoleum, both synthetic and natural, does not have an unpleasant odor;
the drawing must be clear;
compliance with safety standards - good linoleum undergoes a special examination, is labeled, and the seller must also present a hygiene certificate;
quality must be checked in rolled form: for the absence of bumps, areas with a peeled film. These indicators indicate a marriage, such a coating cannot be bought, because the existing irregularities cannot be smoothed out;
it is advisable to give preference to a material with a special protective film - such linoleum is easy to clean, retains its original appearance for a long time;
all linoleum must be from the same batch - even when the articles are the same, color differences are possible.

The question of choice is not so difficult, if you know all the subtleties and nuances. All of the above tips will help buyers make the right choice, the purchase will not bring grief in the future, that is, during operation.

There are so many different floor coverings on the market today that everyone can find something that suits them best. For some people, choosing the right material can be an interesting exercise, for others, such a process turns into something difficult and unthinkable, due to the fact that each material has a number of its own characteristics, both in appearance and in quality characteristics. This article will be about which linoleum is best suited for various rooms of a dwelling.

Pros and cons of PVC flooring

Perhaps there is no other floor covering than linoleum, about which so many myths would not go and there were no different opinions. This should not be surprising, because it is linoleum that is assigned the leading position among other floor coverings in Russia.

Compared to other floor coverings, the best linoleum has the following advantages:

many design solutions: in shades, colors, patterns imitating wood, stone, and even laminate (read also: "");
a variety of types of material in terms of wear resistance, which affects its placement in a particular room;
it takes a minimum of time to clean it;
it is easy to lay even without the help of specialists;
affordable price (about 180-450 rubles per 1 m 2);
under it, small irregularities of the base are easily hidden;
not afraid of exposure to water;
the coating is so versatile that it can be laid in many types of premises.

However, PVC-based linoleum has a number of disadvantages:

the presence of an unpleasant odor for some time after its installation;
easily damaged due to direct mechanical impact;
has an artificial basis;
is rather slippery;
cheap varieties look bad on the outside.

However, the advantages of linoleum outweigh the disadvantages by a ratio greater than that of other floor coverings. The latest, the best linoleum, has practically no flaws.

Currently existing sanitary and fire regulations guarantee the presence on the market of materials that are devoid of unpleasant odors, while they are as environmentally friendly as possible. The latest technology has made it possible to develop linoleum even with an antibacterial coating. In addition, the latest models are equipped with a reinforced polyethylene layer, embossed, which makes linoleum as similar as possible to natural materials.

Choosing the best linoleum

In order for the choice of linoleum for the house to be the most successful, you first need to decide in which room it will be used. As a rule, this criterion is decisive. Let's figure out which type of linoleum to choose for the floor is best in this or that case.

Room types are as follows:

household;
office;
production.

In this case, the linoleum marking may contain a number or a pictogram: house (2); building (3) or factory (4).

The force of impact on linoleum is low, medium, high and very high. On linoleum, this is reflected by a pictogram in the form of little men - from 1 to 4.

All factors together - the type of room and the load on the coating, form wear resistance classes of linoleum, which are:

21-24 - for the home;
31-34 - for the office;
41-44 - for industrial premises.

Linoleum, parquet, laminate, carpet and tiles are divided into the same classes, even though they have completely different characteristics.

It is worth talking about these two types of premises, such as office and residential, in detail.

To choose linoleum for the home - which one is better suited in a particular case, it is worth highlighting 3 types of premises:

The bedroom, study or wardrobe have a low load - class 21 is suitable.
In the living room and children's room, the average load on the coating is 22 class.
In the corridor, hallway and children's room with several children - a high load - 23 class.

Offices can also be divided into three types:

Offices without visitors and hotel rooms - low load - 31 class.
Negotiation rooms in business establishments, banquet rooms, reception rooms - average load - 32 class.
Schools, institutes, offices with high attendance, shopping centers, hotel and hospital corridors - high load - 33, 34 classes.

That is, knowing what type of room this or that room belongs to, you can choose a fairly strong linoleum. The only thing to consider is that the higher the strength class of the material, the more expensive it is. Therefore, one should approach the choice of material, starting from expediency, thinking about whether it is worth overpaying for a material with high strength indicators, or, conversely, whether it is worth saving.

In addition to wear resistance, you need to pay attention to other characteristics.

Some types of linoleums have the following advantages:

the presence of an auxiliary protective layer of varnish - makes cleaning much easier;
antibacterial layer - does not allow bacteria to develop on the floor surface;
double base - gives the coating additional strength and softness, the floor absorbs noise better and retains heat better;
natural relief - the latest technologies allow you to create a texture that is as close as possible to natural material - such a coating has a higher cost.

Base selection

Which base of linoleum is best suited for your premises will be most influenced by: the appearance of the coating, your personal preferences, strength, softness, safety.

The basis of linoleum can be of several types:

jute;
felt;
polyester;
from polyvinyl chloride;
combined.

The disadvantages of the basis of jute and felt include the impossibility of using such material in a humid environment, in addition, various microorganisms can start on it. This is because these materials are natural. The vast majority of currently existing varieties of linoleum have a synthetic base made of PVC or polyester.

But the best choice is still materials on a combined basis of PVC and polyester. Such linoleum has improved characteristics acquired from these materials.

Among them are:

sound and heat insulation;
increased strength;
size constancy;
complete resistance to moisture;
prevents mold and mildew from forming.

Adhesive selection

Since the technology of laying linoleum involves gluing it to the floor to extend its service life, it is desirable that the adhesive be of sufficient quality and correctly selected.

To glue linoleum to the base, you need to purchase a dispersion adhesive. A reactive adhesive, referred to as "cold welding", will be required to bond the joints. It temporarily softens the linoleum, due to which the joints are connected into one. You can also resort to hot gluing, but in this case you will need to get a building hair dryer.

Deciding on a color

After you have decided on the basis on which the linoleum will perform its functions better, you can proceed to the choice of colors. Naturally, in this case there simply cannot be a universal solution, there are only tips on combining color shades.

Keep in mind that the same color scheme may look different in rooms of different sizes and with different lighting.

A number of combinations that are suitable in one case or another:

shades of yellow and green are best suited to relieve fatigue;
warmth and comfort will be brought into the room by shades of beige and pale yellow;
to give the bathroom freshness, you can choose a turquoise hue (read also: "");
in meeting rooms, as well as in bedrooms, blue and blue colors are best suited, which are very relaxing and can cause a sleepy state;
bring the body into tone, invigorate, endow with a positive mood and warmth red, yellow and bright orange colors;
to create a working environment, you can choose gray linoleum;
designers can pay attention to white color, it is combined with all shades.

Myths about linoleum

Linoleum cracks and dries

On the old Soviet-era linoleum, cracks did often occur, and it also dried out over time. This happens because the manufacturer chooses the wrong materials to form the base. Currently well-known companies, such as Tarkett, IVC, Sinteros, produce products exclusively from high-quality materials.

It is worth noting that if linoleum is brought into a room from the street where the temperature was below 15 ° C, it needs time to reach the temperature of the room, as a rule, 24-48 hours, otherwise it will crack, regardless of the quality of the material.

Over time, on light linoleum, the surface wears out from traces

Naturally, the coating may lose its brightness over time. However, as a rule, this is not affected by the quality of the material, but by the technology of laying linoleum and its operation.

Firstly, this happens if linoleum is laid on a painted wooden floor, or if it is opened with chemical mixtures, such as bitumen or drying oil. After some time, these substances are able to penetrate through the linoleum.

Secondly, if the installation of linoleum was made in a room with an aggressive environment.

In such cases, it is better to pay attention to solid linoleum, and not to buy light shades. In addition, try to lay linoleum on a perfectly flat base, this will extend the life of linoleum.

Outcome

When choosing linoleum, remember that you need to pay attention not only to the class of the product, but also to take into account the basis on which it will be laid. Even having bought the most expensive type of linoleum, one cannot be sure that it will last a long time if the elementary technology of its installation is not followed. And do not forget that the base must be carefully prepared for laying linoleum.

Choosing a floor covering for your home, you need to approach this issue quite seriously. After all, it carries not only an aesthetic component, but is also a restraining element for loads.

Not all areas in the apartment are exposed to the same influences. The most passable, and therefore having a large load on the floor, are the corridor and the kitchen. The living room is a special room in which we not only spend our leisure time, but also receive guests. Therefore, the flooring in it should be not only practical, but also beautiful.

Varieties

For many years, linoleum has been the undisputed leader among floor coverings. It is suitable for any premises, you just need to make the right choice. The hall is no exception.

Here are the main points that you should pay attention to when choosing linoleum flooring for the living room.

There are several variations of types of linoleum:

household: wear resistance class - 21-23, protective layer thickness - 0.3 mm, withstands small loads;
semi-commercial: wear resistance class - 31-32, protective layer thickness - 0.5 mm, withstands moderate loads;
commercial: wear resistance class - 33, protective layer thickness - 0.6 mm, withstands fairly large and prolonged loads.

For the living room, household linoleum will be enough, since the patency of this room is small.

The material matters a lot. There are products to choose from: PVC, rubber, natural, colloxylin, glyptal.

In the hall, choose a PVC covering with a jute or felt base. Professionals say that such material is best suited for the living room.

There are several types of it:

homogeneous: has 1 layer with impurities of lime and quartz sand. It is stretchy and fairly easy to shape. But due to its small thickness, it quickly becomes unusable. In addition, all the unevenness of the floor is visible through it;
heterogeneous: consists of several layers, each of which performs its own function: protective, shock-absorbing, decorative.

Choose the second option for the hall PVC coating. It will hide floor defects, provide thermal insulation, and last quite a long time.

How to choose?

To choose the right flooring for your room, follow some guidelines:

In the cold season, it is better to buy linoleum in a store, and not in the market, as it tends to deform under the influence of low temperatures. In addition, in the store it is more convenient to inspect the canvas for defects.
To find out what size the purchased product should be, measure the area of \u200b\u200byour hall and leave allowances on all sides of a few centimeters.

Notice the smell. A quality product should not emit a "flavor". For a recreation area, this is unacceptable.
You can not ignore this type of linoleum, like marmoleum. It is made of natural materials and has two positive qualities at once: no smell and antibacterial effect. And this is very important if there are children in your house, because the living room often becomes their play area.
A product with an anti-slip layer is ideal for a living room if it is devoid of carpets.

Also, one nuance should be taken into account. If you choose linoleum not for an apartment, but for a sports, concert, assembly hall, then the selection criteria here are slightly different. The main thing to rely on is that all of the above audiences have a high degree of traffic, that is, they are subjected to a large mechanical load: walking, rearranging furniture, and exposure to heels. Therefore, the linoleum coating for these halls must be, first of all, durable.

For this purpose, choose at least a semi-commercial look, and preferably a commercial one, with anti-slip properties.

Color spectrum

After the choice on the structure of linoleum is made, the most pleasant thing remains - to decide on the color. There are also some rules here.

If your living room is spacious enough, any color will suit the floor: light, dark, bright. Moreover, dark shades will be more practical to use. If the living room has small dimensions, choose light colors for the linoleum flooring. They visually expand the space and get rid of the oppressive atmosphere.

It must be remembered that the floor, like any other part of the room, must be combined with the interior.

If your living room is made in a classic style, use linoleum in warm, discreet tones for it. For modern styles, bolder solutions in the form of bright colors are suitable. And minimalism is favorably emphasized by floor coverings in black and white.

The floor can become the focus of attention in your room. If the interior items are made in a calm, discreet style, and there is no carpet, enliven the room with beautiful linoleum with ornaments or large patterns.

Properly selected, they can visually stretch or expand the space, if necessary.

If your floor is nevertheless decorated with a carpet, then the linoleum flooring should be laid plain and discreet so that it creates a background and favorably emphasizes the pattern of the carpet. Also, modesty in color is advised to be observed if all the components of the interior have rich, catchy tones.

Linoleum looks beautiful and noble, made under parquet or laminate. It looks especially impressive in a room with wooden furniture. Currently, the production of linoleum has stepped far ahead. There is no limit to fantasy in its decoration. Therefore, you can easily choose the option for your particular room.

Peculiarities

Modern technologies for the manufacture of linoleum have taken it to a new level. And now it can compete in quality with other, more presentable types of flooring.

Relying on the fact that the hall is a room for the whole family, as well as for guests, properly selected linoleum will provide you with:

heat and sound insulation;
minimum dust;
antiallergic, antibacterial effects;
reduce the slip effect, which is especially important if children run around in the living room;
use for "warm" floors;
moisture resistance;
ease of care;
minimum costs.

As you can see, each room has its own criteria for choosing linoleum. Knowing all the nuances, you can choose a product for yourself wisely, which will serve you for many years and will please you with its appearance.

How to choose linoleum - the next video.

So, it was decided - there will be linoleum on the floor. Now you can go buy something "fun". However, there is no need to rush. After all, there is a whole range of products with different operational parameters on the market. How choose linoleum? You need to be aware of these settings..Tatyana Kuznetsova, Marketing Director of the Household Linoleum category of the company, will answer the most frequent questions of buyers Tarkett in Eastern Europe.

- What are the advantages of using linoleum as a floor covering?

To begin with, the decision to use it is an excellent choice in itself. This is a unique material that combines high performance. It is wear-resistant, not afraid of moisture, easy to install. It is easy to take care of him. At the same time, it has good indicators of heat and sound insulation. From the old days there was an opinion that linoleum is something unpresentable. But today, such a coating provides the greatest freedom in interior design. Manufacturers are constantly bringing new trendy collections to the market, and you can choose a design for any room in the apartment.

- They choose most often according to the drawing. Is this correct, or is there something else to look out for first?

- It is clear that at first a person looks at color and design. Well, you can start with this. However, in any case, you need to find out whether the product you like meets your requirements. I would advise first of all to remember, strange as it may sound, about health. The best way to protect yourself is to ask the seller for a hygiene certificate. Also, look for special signs on the label. Products that have passed the examination, which confirmed their environmental friendliness, are labeled. It should be noted that today the only Russian label recognized by the international community and included in the Global Ecolabel Network (GEN) is "Leaf of Life". It is issued by the St. Petersburg Ecological Union. Among our products, linoleum collections are marked with this sign "Moda", "Discovery" and "Idyll".

- When choosing linoleum, is it necessary to take into account in which room it will lie?

Yes, today there are types of coverage with different characteristics. The easiest way to determine for what operating conditions a particular linoleum is intended is to use the European classification system for floor coverings EN 685, which is also used in Russia. According to her, everything rooms are divided into three types. The number 2 denotes residential, the number 3 - office, the number 4 - industrial. Another number determines the intensity of the load: 1 - low, 2 - medium, 3 - high, 4 - very high. The combination of two numbers and the corresponding pictogram (house and little men) denotes flooring class. For example: 22 - residential area with medium load, 33 - office area with high load, etc. What kind of coverage do you need?, you can look in the catalog or ask the sales assistant. So, class 21 linoleum is suitable for a bedroom or an office, 23 for a kitchen and a corridor in an apartment where 1-2 people live. And the same kitchen in an apartment where 3 or more people live needs class 31.

- Is it possible to find out by eye whether this linoleum is wear-resistant or not?

It is this parameter that is difficult to determine just by looking at the coating. The fact is that how resistant the material will be to abrasion depends on the design of the coating as a whole and, first of all, on the thickness of its upper working layer. It is also called transparent (which means "transparent"). Modern linoleum is a "layer cake", in which each layer plays a special role. So, the worker is made of pure PVC, a very durable material. The transparency protects the drawing. The thicker the layer, the longer the coating will last. It is with this indicator that the classification of heterogeneous linoleums is more connected. They are separated for household(21-23 class; transparency thickness 0.1-0.3 mm), light commercial or semi-commercial(31-32 grade; 0.4-0.5 mm) and commercial(33 class and beyond; not less than 0.6 mm). The coating class is determined not only by the thickness of the transparent layer, but also by compliance with many other requirements. Therefore, even at home, there may be zones corresponding to class 31 or even 32 in terms of load (for example, a kitchen or a corridor)

However, as you can understand, due to the small thickness, comparing the transparent layer of two different linoleums by eye is not so easy for a non-professional. Therefore, it is better to focus on wear resistance classes.

- What linoleum will not stretch?

Well, this flaw is definitely a ghost of the past. The "skeleton" for most modern coatings is fiberglass. It is located in the middle of the "pie" and ensures the stability of linear dimensions. It is thanks to fiberglass that linoleum does not shrink or stretch. Unfortunately, today coatings without fiberglass can still be found on the Russian market, but they are quite easy to "identify".

- What characteristics should you pay attention to?

We have already said that modern linoleum has several layers ev. The thickest of them is the back. Most often it is made of PVC foam, also called the base. Back - because it is located on the back of the fiberglass. Several important characteristics depend on it at once. First, sound and heat insulation. And the thicker the foam, the warmer the floor. You can navigate by the total thickness of the coating, which is mainly determined by the back layer. At the same time, these characteristics depend on the density of the foam. The smaller it is, the more sound and heat insulation. But during operation, the buyer is unlikely to feel the difference, which is determined by the density of the foam, since the very presence of a foamed base already makes the linoleum warm.

Further, the base provides the linoleum with resistance to deformation - from heels, furniture legs, etc. So that after such point loads there are no traces left, the base must have sufficient density. And the greater the density, the more resistant the linoleum will be to such influences. This parameter can be estimated by comparing the weight of several coatings with the same thickness (the heaviest material is the densest). Another way to squeeze linoleum with your fingers. The less the thickness of the coating changes under pressure, the higher the density of the base and vice versa.

The basis of foamed PVC is sometimes supplemented by a duplicating polyester. The main advantage of combining these materials is manifested when used in seasonal country houses. A layer of polyester, located under a layer of foam, protects it from freezing. This is important because PVC foam does not tolerate freeze-thaw cycles well. Polyester also provides reliable protection. Stratification is excluded here, since both materials are interconnected at the molecular level. Thus, coatings on a duplicate basis are an ideal choice for summer residents.

- Are there linoleums that are best suited for specific spaces, such as the kitchen?

In addition to wear resistance, it is worth paying attention to the additional protection of the material. Large manufacturers apply another additional protective layer on top of the transparency - varnish. Covering micro-irregularities, it greatly facilitates cleaning, preventing the penetration of dirt into the structure of the coating, which is very important in the kitchen. In this case, matte and glossy varnish is used. The latter at any time gives the impression of a freshly washed floor. Tarkett has, for example, products with a combination lacquer finish. Glossy and matte areas alternate according to the pattern, creating an original effect. Another protective layer - antibacterial - may be relevant for the kitchen or nursery. Its mechanism of action is simple and does not entail any side effects. Upon contact with air moisture, silver ions are released from the layer, which have antibacterial properties. Thus, the reproduction of microbes on the floor surface becomes impossible. Usually, manufacturers do not hide such advantages, so you just need to read the label more carefully.

First, of course, the color scheme should match the use of the room. Cold light shades visually enlarge the space, warm ones make the room more comfortable. A bright contrast pattern is invigorating, while a monotonous pattern is soothing. For example, a living room in warm muted colors encourages relaxation, reflection, calm communication, and in intense cold colors with clear elements, it gives energy and sets the mood for friendly parties. All this applies to flooring. Especially if a complete change of interior begins with linoleum. But even if the task is simply to update the floor, then here you can achieve an excellent result. The coating will visually enlarge the room if you choose small tiles as a pattern for a small kitchen. The same effect is obtained by placing any "tile" or "board" pattern diagonally. The abstract design of the floor remarkably emphasizes the dignity of interior items - furniture, decorative elements. Fans of everything original can pick up linoleum with a voluminous, three-dimensional design. It is created by fusing pieces of PVC (called "chips") into transparency, as well as other artistic techniques.

Now we are armed enough with knowledge to go to the store. Guided by the expert's answers: how to choose linoleum, any buyer can choose quality linoleum that meets all requirements.